Many attempts have been made to formulate low fat spread products. Amongst the various reasons why such products are desired is the wish to reduce the caloric content of the spread and other dietetic considerations and the wish to lower the production costs, in particular by reducing the raw material costs.
A substance that has widely been applied as a tat extender is water. This use of water has, for example, led to the introduction of so-called halvarines. If relatively high levels of water are used, often thickening agents and/or gelling agents are used for avoiding adverse effects of the high water level.
For example EP-A-298 561 (Unilever) describes the preparation of edible plastic dispersions not having a continuous fat phase, said composition including at least two gelling agents forming two gel-forming compositions.
EP-A-355 908 (Unilever) relates to thermoreversible microgels of polysaccharides being substantially less rigid than a gel of the same composition formed under quiescent conditions.
EP-A-432 835 (Unilever) relates to chemically set gels prepared under shear, said gels being substantially less rigid than the same composition prepared under quiescent conditions.
EP-A-441 495 (Pfizer) relates to an emulsion type low calorie fat substitute comprising an aqueous phase and a fat phase, wherein the interaction between the two phases results in a pourable product.
Research Disclosure volume 302, nr 092 (Anonymous) discloses low fat spreads containing 0.5-2.0% of either alginate or pectin in the water phase.
Research Disclosure Vol. 330, nr 059 (Grindsted) discloses very low fat-continuous spreads with gelatin, skimmed milk powder and alginate.
EP-A-387 940 (Unilever) discloses fat continuous spreads containing gelatin, hydrolysed starch and optionally pectin.
JP 04 278 049 (Taiyou Yushi KK) discloses spreads with gelatin, xanthan gum and 8 to 47% polysaccharide e.g. poltdextrose.
EP-A-398 411 (Unilever N.V.)describes the production of fat-continuous spreads with high levels of gelatin and low or minor amounts of a second gelling agent by pregelation followed by phase-inversion.
For enhancing the gelation rate of gelatin, often starch is added, for example in the from of hydrolysed starch. However the disadvantage of using starch is that it often gives rise to a starchy taste or grainy appearance of the product.